Ref:121/09 November 16, 2009
Tackling serial perpetrators of violence against women

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has handed the government a review considering what new measures could be taken to tackle serial perpetrators of violence against women.

The review, which was undertaken over six months, was conducted by the ACPO lead on domestic abuse, Chief Constable Brian Moore, at the request of the former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.

The review considered proposals including:

• Persons at risk of violence have the ‘right to know’ about relevant information;

• consideration of a new criminal offence whereby a prosecution may be brought on the basis of evidence of repeated violent behaviour (known as a ‘Course of Conduct’) against different victims of violence; and

• that the law should be changed to enable the police to issue a Domestic Violence Protection Order of up to 14 days duration, to prevent a suspected perpetrator of this form of violence from entering the address of the victim and/or to prevent contact with the victim.
Chief Constable Brian Moore said:

“At the heart of this review is ensuring that we are doing all we can to protect victims and the public from dangerous people who have repeatedly shown a propensity towards violence.

“Improving knowledge of these dangerous people and strengthening our strategies and tactics against them will mean the police can be more effective in keeping victims safe. Our first duty is, and remains, the protection of victims.

"We want to go after those serial perpetrators who go from relationship to relationship, growing in confidence and menace.

“We considered these proposals according to our remit to look at what can be done to protect people. We recognise they require further consultation and debate and may be controversial. It is for Government to take into account the wider perspectives as part of its full consultation.”

The review was requested by the then Home Secretary as a contribution to the Government’s consultation Together We Can End Violence Against Women And Girls.

As part of the consultation process, Chief Constable Moore was asked to undertake a full review of what additional powers the CJS might need to control the activities of perpetrators of gender-based violence – which includes domestic violence, stalking and harassment, honour-based violence, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, rape, sexual assault, sex trafficking, prostitution and elder abuse.

Beginning in March, the review involved consultation through the ACPO Domestic Abuse Working Group, liaison with victims and academics from Bristol University.

The review gathered data from a majority of forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and based on an extrapolation from those responses, estimate there may be as many as 25,000 serial perpetrators of domestic abuse whom the police are aware of.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

• The review can be found at http://www.acpo.police.uk/policies.asp

• The ACPO Press Office can be contacted via 020 7084 8946/47/48 (office hours) or via 07803 903686 (out of office hours).

• The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is an independent, professionally led strategic body. In the public interest and, in equal and active partnership with Government and the Association of Police Authorities, ACPO leads and co-ordinates the direction and development of the police service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In times of national need ACPO, on behalf of all chief officers, coordinates the strategic policing response.

• ACPO’s 341 members are police officers of Assistant Chief Constable rank (Commanders in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police) and above, and senior police staff managers, in the 44 forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and other forces such as British Transport Police and States of Jersey Police.